Guru Harkrishan Public School, Vasant Vihar

GURU HARKRISHAN PUBLIC SCHOOL, VASANT VIHAR

CLASSXI ENGLISH

ASSIGNMENT-2

Read the passage and answer the questions that follow:-

1. For long there has been no awareness or endeavour by us to develop the art ofthinking. As a result the lives of people are based on groundless beliefs. Andtheir beliefs rest on some absurd superstitions. Or mere assertions which bear noproof. And now they find it difficult to question their veracity.

2. Following this trend humanity has reached a perilous state. We need to realisethe emergent need to develop and strengthen the intellect. The process ofthinking should start from an early age. Develop the art of thinking. Follow it upwith the study of the impeccable truths of life.

3. Delve deep into the truths. Accept those that appeal to logic and reason. Applythem in practical living. Adopt this procedure all through life. It will enable youto build your intellect. Albert Einstein said that intellectual growth shouldcommence at birth and cease only at death.

4. We need strong intellect to exercise the right choice of action in life. We faceendless trials and tribulations. The human species alone is provided with intellectto face and surmount mundane challenges.

5. All other species, devoid of intellect, are helpless victims of the rigours of theexternal world. A powerful intellect helps us overpower these onslaughts. Butthe role of the human intellect does not end there. The intellect has the uniquecapacity to even transcend the world and reach the ultimate state of spiritualenlightenment.

6. Unaware of the need to build the intellect, we tend to entertain ourselves withmerely reading ourselves with merely reading others’ periodicals andpublications. We indulge in the mere length of study. Just pouring over pages ofliterature apathetic to its deeper implications. Rare indeed are those who go intothe depth of study. Thus little is assimilated or absorbed by readers. People havebeen educated robots for generations. And have been traversing through lifewithout knowing the meaning and purpose of it.

7. The world abounds in personalities with one-sided development. Intelligence andno intellect. Take the example of a scientist who is an alcoholic. His liver isdamaged. He is extremely short-tempered and his blood pressure has shot up. And he is stressed, unable to face even small worldly challenges. Analyse hispersonality carefully.

8. He is a brilliant scientist with profound knowledge of his subject. He hasacquired abundant intelligence but never cared to develop his intellect. Hisintellect has always remained weak.

9. It lacks the strength to handle the multifarious demands of the mind. His mindcraves for alcohol. His intellect is not powerful enough to control the naggingdesire. So his mind raves in foul temper. His frail intellect is unable to control itsravings. And when his mind is humiliated, strained and stressed by the problemsconfronting it, his intelligence looks on helplessly.

10. On the contrary, there are luminaries possessing awesome intellects which holdtheir minds under perfect control. Some of them possess no academicqualification but academies are built around them. Only by developing theintellect can we save ourselves from self-destruction and evolve to spiritualperfection.

I. Answer the following questions :

(a) How are superstitions an obstacle in developing the art of thinking ?

(b) Why is it important to develop the art of thinking ?

(c) What happens to people without intellect ?

(d) What do we need to do for building intellect ?

(e) Briefly explain the difference between intellect & intelligence.

(f) How can building intellect help us know the meaning &purpose of life ?

II. Find words from the passage which mean the same as the following :

(a) Truthfulness (para 1) (b) Dangerous (para 2 & 3)

(c) Attacks (para 5 & 6)

Poster making

1.  Design a poster against the ill-effects of plastic on the environmeont.

2.  Draw a poster to create awareness about the harms of drinking.

3.  Draw a poster to highlight the benifits of daily Excercise.

Notice Writing

1.  You are Sanjay / Sangeeta. As President of the Excursion Club you have organized an excursion to Katmandu (Nepal) during the summer vacation for the senior students of your school. Write a notice in about 50 words informing the students about the proposed excursion.

2.  You are Anita Desai/ Anup Sharma,the Sports secretary of St. Paul public school, Ahmadabad. Your school has decided to host the regional Level Basket Ball Tournament. Draft a notice for your school Notice Board inviting all the school children to attend the Tournament and cheer the participants.